Iraq War: Mission Accomplished?

Iraqi refugees continue to arrive in the United States in large numbers, fleeing bombings and other violence ten years after then U.S. President George W. Bush declared the successful conclusion of combat operations following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Many of these refugees have settled in the U.S state of Michigan and as VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports from Detroit, they say the U.S. mission to bring democracy and security to their country has failed.

STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN— Iraqi refugees continue to arrive in the United States in large numbers, fleeing bombings and other violence ten years after then U.S. President George W. Bush declared the successful conclusion of combat operations following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Many of these refugees have settled in the U.S state of Michigan; some say the U.S. mission to bring democracy and security to their country has failed.

The “Mission Accomplished” banner across the bridge of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, helped President George W. Bush convey a sense of achievement to Americans less than two months after the invasion of Iraq. “...And in the battle of Iraq, the United States and her allies have prevailed,” said Bush.

But that sentiment soon evaporated as U.S. and allied casualties mounted in the post-invasion insurgency that left Iraq on the brink of civil war.

“It’s not accomplished and the Americans that were living in Iraq and working there they know it was not accomplished," said Iraqi refugee Mohanad Kedage.

On October 31, 2010, Kedage was one of hundreds of Christian worshippers attending an evening mass at Our Lady of Salvation, when terrorists stormed the Catholic Church.

58 people died in the attack, including several of Kedage’s family members. His sense of well being was shattered.

“We lost three in that church," Kedage recalled. "There is no security at all in Iraq. If they are not going to bomb the churches they will bomb the cars. People will use the bombing belts to bomb themselves with other innocent people.”

Kedage decided to flee Iraq with his family soon after the church attack. He settled in Michigan, and has since struggled to make ends meet. “There is no jobs. Living in the U.S. is hard too. It is not only the security, [that] is not enough," he said. "Living in Iraq was hard but here it is hard too.”

The continued insecurity in Iraq has dramatically increased the number of refugees living in Southeast Michigan, which is home to the largest Arab American population in the United States. Tariq said aside from physical injuries and ailments, half of all incoming Iraq refugees suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and at least one fourth suffer from severe depression.

“I don’t know what it means when he said that the mission was accomplished, because for us I think that opened a whole new can of worms. We are happy to receive our new neighbors that are Iraqi refugees, but they come with a lot of baggage and there is a lot of fixing to be done,” Tariq said.

Mohanad Kedage is still fixing his frayed nerves as he struggles to eek out a living in the U.S. for his family, with help from ACCESS. “I will never return to Iraq. I can’t go back to Iraq. This is my second home," he asserted. "The first is Iraq. America is my second home.”

A second home where his first priority is providing a better future for his children.

Afghan officials and human rights organizations assert that Pakistani authorities are using deadly attack at school in Peshawar as pretext to push out Afghan refugees More

This forum has been closed.

Comment Sorting

Comments

by: skiimaan from: usa

May 01, 2013 4:02 PM

Some little sour icing on a rotten case.The surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect said they were motivated by US-led war in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you believe the suspect then Bush should score points for Mission Accomplished the Creation of Foreign/Domestic Terrorism against us/US.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

Diagnosing infections such as HIV requires expensive clinical tests, making the procedure too costly for many poor patients or those living in remote areas. But a new technology called lab-on-a-chip may make the tests more accessible to many. VOA’s George Putic reports.

Video

Afghan officials have expressed concern over reports of a crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan following the Peshawar school attack in December. Reports of mass arrests and police harassment coupled with fear of an uncertain future are making life difficult for a population that fled its homeland to escape war. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Islamabad.

Video

Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. Patrick Wells reports from Mariupol.

Video

As low oil prices and Western sanctions force Russia's economy into recession, thousands of Moscow restaurants are expected to close their doors. Restaurant owners face rents tied to foreign currency, while rising food prices mean Russians are spending less when they dine out. One entrepreneur in Moscow has started a dinner kit delivery service for those who want to cook at home to save money but not skimp on quality. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports.

Video

The United States and Cuba say they have made progress in the second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations more than 50 years after breaking off ties. Delegations from both sides met in Washington on Friday to work on opening embassies in Havana and Washington and iron out key obstacles to historic change. VOA’s Mary Alice Salinas reports from the State Department.

Video

One after another, presumptive Republican presidential contenders auditioned for conservative support this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington. The rhetoric was tough as a large field of potential candidates tried to woo conservative support with red-meat attacks on President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress. VOA Political Columnist Jim Malone takes a look.

Video

New Yorkers take pride in setting world trends — in fashion, the arts and fine dining. The city’s famous biannual Restaurant Week plays a significant role in a booming tourism industry that sustains 359,000 jobs and generates $61 billion in yearly revenue. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

Video

Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline, fracking and instability in the Middle East are driving debate in the U.S. about making America energy independent. Recently, the American Energy Innovation Council urged Congress and the White House to make expanded energy research a priority. One beneficiary of increased energy spending would be the Brookhaven National Lab, where clean, renewable, efficient energy is the goal. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports.

Video

There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.

Video

With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.

Video

A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates.